The Darkest Twilight
by Silarcta
Summary: After Radiant Garden's destruction, two Heartless sets out to find their bodies and become whole. 411, XemSai, and more yaoi to come.


A/N: As the first part of The Virtuous is slowly drawing to an end, I've decided it's time for another chapter fic, this time set in the original world of Kingdom Hearts, though I suppose it could still be called an AU, as it revolves around the Heartless of mainly Vexen and Marluxia. I will try and draw in far more of the Organization members later on, and use all the means I can for the story, featuring more pairings and side stories.

The name of Marluxia's Heartless was made by me. I haven't seen it anywhere else so far, and I anagrammed it myself.

The theories explained in this story towards the Heartless and Nobodies are not necessarily based on facts. Don't throw a hissyfit over it.

Rated M for future chapters.

Great thanks to Plasmodesmata for wonderful beta service. Enjoy.

* * *

It was snowing the day they met in the ruins of Radiant Garden. It was a ghost town then, just destroyed by the Heartless. All the buildings were covered in a heavy, white blanket of cold. Even lay on his back in the middle of the town square, watching the snowflakes flitter down from the light grey sky, slowly smothering him. His blond hair laid spread out in a fan around his head, like long, thick silk, his body splayed out in the snow. He wasn't cold, even though his lips were almost blue and his skin pale as milk. He could have been dead if it hadn't been for his brilliantly green eyes dancing with life and amusement.

The sky was heavy above him and the city. Broken platforms and houses, awkward streets, smoking ruins; everything was white and silent. Outside the city, hills in a blue stone were barely visible beneath the downfall, and on the other side of a great chasm towered the castle of Radiant Garden. It was barely visible, but still very present.

A snowflake had landed on the tip of Even's nose. It didn't melt.

"Snow angels?"

Even would never forget those words, so softly spoken by a velvety voice. It was too deep to be a woman, but still effeminate. And yet, right then he didn't think about it. He simply furrowed his brows in annoyance.

"No. It should be obvious that I am simply lying here."

The snow made a soft crunching noise as the owner of the voice sat down next to him. He didn't move, just waited for the other to say something.

"I am Auramil," the voice said.

The pronunciation sounded a bit French.

"And…?"

"That's all I remember."

Even sighed quietly. Already their grave miscalculation was starting to take effect, he thought. Hadn't the destruction of Radiant Garden been enough? Death would have been a more merciful fate than this. He pushed himself up onto his palms, his hair swirling slowly in the icy wind around them. He looked over at this Auramil to see if he had been right.

Yes, most definitely. The handsome young man at his side had long, pale pink hair, skin like ivory and piercing blue eyes that radiated such intensity. It was such a powerful look that if it hadn't been of confusion, Even would have struggled to keep eye contact. Small puffs of white mist were escaping Auramil's light peach lips as he breathed. His attire probably did nothing to keep him from the cold; a long black coat with pink and green trimmings, as well as matching tall boots and pants. The coat barred much of his chest, as the only thing holding it in place was a buckle the shape of the Heartless mark. Oh yes, Even's theory was very well confirmed.

"You are the same as me," he said and lay back down again with another sigh. "We are both doomed to end up like this town."

There was a moment's silence before Auramil replied.

"What happened to it?"

"Does that really matter?" Even asked.

"It matters if I am to find out how to reverse it. A town can be rebuilt. I am sure my memory can as well."

Even snorted softly and closed his eyes.

"It's not a matter of memory, but of body and heart," he said. Auramil looked at him curiously; Even could just see him out of the corner of his eye.

"The body consists of three components," he murmured. "The heart, the body, and the soul. What has happened to us is that we turned to darkness. Our body and heart were separated. We are Heartless. All that is left of what was once a whole person. Memories are tied to the heart, so it's natural that the memories are gone now."

"Heartless… I see."

Auramil lay back in the snow next to Even, shuddering a little at the cold. "Where are our hearts now then?"

"Are you not curious about how we ended up like this?" Even asked. Auramil shrugged.

"The important things first," he said. At that, Even turned his head and arched a brow at the stranger. It was he and his colleagues that were responsible for this after all; Xehanort and Ienzo before anyone, though he had certainly played a greater part himself. The memories were blurry though.

"Very well. We are not the same as we used to be, or remember being. We are made out of the darkness in our hearts. Whether we carry our hearts with us or not is anyone's guess. You might just as well say that we _are_ our hearts. The shadow that is left, anyway."

Auramil didn't reply at first, but there was an obvious frown on his face.

"Really? Then what we lack is supposedly bodies?" he asked, holding his hands up in front of his face, examining them with an unimpressed expression. "Intriguing. Why should I even bother listening to you?"

"I am a scientist. And it's my own fault along with my colleagues that I lost my heart," Even said, finding no need to explain it was pretty much their fault that _everyone_ had lost their hearts and that the town had been destroyed. "Your 'body' is an imprint, a shadow of who you used to be. Your real body is gone."

"So what I should be looking for is my body, not my heart?" Auramil asked. "I suppose that's alright," he murmured, almost smiling now. "Not having a heart would have been rather awful."

Even didn't reply. According to theory, falling into darkness would create one Heartless and one Nobody. The Nobody would naturally be a shell of a body without heart or emotion. He didn't tell Auramil then, but he did at a later occasion as their conversation dragged on. Auramil, if not a scientist, was curious and talkative. Even simply loved explaining the concepts and theories he and his colleagues had developed together. Hours passed as they conversed, and it was hard to forget that this was indeed _after_ the whole failed experiment and not just another day at the laboratory. Auramil was intelligent, obviously with an independent mind, questioning everything Even said, dared him to prove it. As day turned to dusk, their conversation ventured from science to less technical topics; their hopes for becoming whole and anything related. Even was enjoying himself with this stranger. They eventually decided they would find shelter for the night together.

They made themselves at home in one of the least damaged houses, and carried on their conversation until late night. They got little sleep, bundled up in heaps of blankets next to each other. It was morning by the time Even explained about the Nobody.

_

"If the body becomes the Nobody, and the heart becomes the Heartless, what happens then to the soul?" was what Auramil had first asked. "Have they become some third part, what, the Soulless?"

Even shook his head, smirking a little with amusement. "Really, that's just silly."

"And this isn't?" Auramil looked positively excited. "What if, by reuniting all three parts, we can become whole again? Like a jigsaw puzzle."

"Well, I suppose that would be logical," Even replied slowly, regarding Auramil with concern. "But I would say it's more like a broken glass rather than a jigsaw. Not as easy to mend, mind you. And if you do manage, I'd advice you not to break it again."

"Trust me," Auramil said with a snort. "I am not that stupid."

Even smirked, something that seemed to just agitate Auramil further. "My theory is that the soul is what binds us to this world. When the soul leaves the body, the result is death. No exceptions. However, when the heart leaves the body, this is what happens. Heartless and Nobody. The question is, does the soul persist in the body or has it been divided between body and heart?"

"Obviously it would persist in the body," Auramil said. "We Heartless are made up of darkness, didn't you say that earlier?"

"What do _you_ know about these things?" Even asked sharply. "_I_ am the scientist."

"Oh yes, and we see how well that went," Auramil snickered, earning himself a glare. "No hard feelings."

"I am sure you were even more pathetic than me when you lost your body," Even muttered sourly.

"Actually, it might just have been due to cruelty," Auramil mused. "I know I am not stupid, so what else could it be? But according to your theory, all we have to do is find our bodies."

"And how do you intend for it to happen? That you will just merge upon impact?"

He never really got an answer to that question as Auramil merely shrugged.

"I can't say I'm sure about your theory," Even eventually said to break the silence, but Auramil was already on his way out of the door. Plan or not, there was no reason to stay at the abandoned house any longer. Reluctantly, he followed Auramil, who seemed positively excited.

"First of all, we might want to see if the rest of my colleagues were turned into Heartless as well. Until today, this was all an unconfirmed hypothesis," Even said.

"Isn't it far more interesting to experience things first hand and not have to go around and wonder about it?" Auramil asked, glancing back at Even. "If our Nobodies are out there, certainly reuniting with them should make us whole again."

As he was dragged towards the castle of Radiant Garden that morning, Even found himself torn. He would need to find the other apprentices at one point or another, and though his initial urge was to reverse the process that had turned them into Heartless, he couldn't help but want to use this chance. So far he had been able to control ice to a minimal degree. Now he felt far more powerful. He didn't felt cold anymore and was sure there was more to it. However, no matter how curious, he had the feeling that staying like this was not a good option. His Nobody self was probably already desperate to find him.

That was, if the Nobody Even had realized what Auramil had; by reuniting, they could perhaps become whole again. He didn't doubt he _had_ realized. Of course he had; it was himself he was talking about.

Though he couldn't help feeling a bit confused. At the same time, he wondered if Heartless actually _could_ feel confused. It would be natural if the part lacking a heart would be the one unable to feel, so he supposed he as a Heartless could. He would at least allow himself something as simple as confusion or distress as he saw the ruins of the castle. What had once been the road up to it was now nothing but platforms of stone that floated in midair.

"And what exactly is running through your head?" Even asked, turning to look at Auramil with a small huff. "I don't even know where you intend on going."

Auramil had told him nothing of whatever _plan_ he had.

"To find our Nobodies, we can't stay in Radiant Garden," Auramil said and furrowed his brows just lightly. It wasn't much of a frown. Auramil's expressions always looked calm and collected, as if nothing could surprise him. There was a sense of authority about it, Even supposed.

"So you intend on finding some means of transport? At the castle?" he asked, not at all convinced. "Where would we start out? Or go at all, for that matter."

"I didn't come from this world," Auramil murmured. "The night before I found you, there was a darkness that consumed my world." He stepped past Even and gracefully climbed onto the first platform. He turned back to his companion and offered him a hand.

"Obviously there are more worlds out there. All we can really do is search for either our Nobodies or someone who knows where to find them. At the moment, I think we are the only ones here. Or we would have run into someone by now."

Even considered this, then nodded. "Well, let's presume that you are right; when Heartless and Nobody are joined, a person will become whole again. A visitor came here to Radiant Garden a while ago, when I was still just an apprentice. He was supposedly from a different world, so I believe that bit." He took Auramil's hand, letting himself be dragged up onto the first platform. "Still, no one knows how many there are. And how did you end up here?"

Auramil simply shrugged. "How should I know? I told you I don't recall anything from my previous life at all; it's a wonder I remember the darkness. I suppose that was the last thing that happened before I lost my heart. Or body. Whatever you will call it. I was consumed by the darkness, and next thing I knew I woke up here in Radiant Garden. I looked around until I found you."

"I see." Even sighed and watched as Auramil turned to continue up the platforms. He moved with an otherworldly grace, his black coat flittering behind him. It was fascinating to watch. Eventually, he followed after him until they reached the final platform, far above the ground. They stood together there under a broken stone arch, looking up at a wonder of a castle suspended in the air above them. Auramil didn't recognize it, but Even saw the giant Heartless mark branded into the castle walls, in-between twining towers and water pipes that seemed to poke out everywhere from the broken white walls. It was terrible and majestic all the same.

What had happened, Even wondered? Even the castle had been transformed, not just destroyed along with the rest of the world. He was worried now. What if the Heartless, the mindless creatures that they had studied, had overrun the world in an attempt to consume it? The visitor, the King, he had talked about how the stars had been blinking out, how worlds were disappearing. It hadn't surprised him to hear about Auramil's world, but it was just surreal when it concerned his own home. He had lived at that castle. And this was all that was left of it.

"Is something wrong?" Auramil asked, breaking his trance. He tore his gaze away from the castle and turned to meet the other's eyes.

"No," he said shortly, looking away and continuing up towards the castle. Auramil's eyes were unbearable when he wanted to hide something, he realized. It was better not to look at him at all. Still, he felt the sharp blues glaring at his neck as he stepped onto the castle terrace. He did his best to ignore them and just continued up through the castle gates. It was then Even's fears were confirmed.

There was a short, surging noise as a swirl of darkness appeared before him, followed by several others. All of them formed into warped, twisted forms of Heartless that _he_ certainly hadn't seen before. He stepped back, paling a little before he collected himself.

"Auramil, take cover."

All of them had that Heartless brand. They looked far more hostile than the little creature they had dubbed 'Shadows' and studied back in the laboratory. He didn't look back to see if Auramil had heard his warning, just raised one of his hands and summoned his shield; large and white, formed with another surge of black energy in his hand. His weapon had always been a shield, but it wasn't before he lost his heart that he had been able to summon it like this. The Heartless were an easy match. After freezing them, he used the shield to shatter them, making them fade back into darkness. He turned back to see Auramil surrounded by several more. There was a scythe in the man's hands. It had a poisonous looking green blade, and a handle the colour of Auramil's hair. It sliced through the rest of the heartless, destroying them with a single hit.

"Is there a problem?" Auramil asked, looking back at Even with a slightly smug smirk as he noticed he was being watched. He disbanded his scythe in a flurry of pink petals and joined the other's side. "I know how to fight."

"I can see that," Even replied dryly, wishing he had said so before. He had almost been worried. "Come. I don't want to stay here much longer; the place is probably swarming with Heartless. Even _you_ could be in trouble if we keep this up," he said almost spitefully before disbanding his own weapon. Auramil looked a bit discouraged at his tone, but continued past him with a small snort.

"I doubt it, especially when I have you to tell me when to take cover." His tone was just as venomous.

Even shook his head, and tagged along. They had to fight their way up to the entrance doors to the castle, and then through the entrance hall. By the time they had reached the library, Even was already a bit breathy. Auramil's forehead was damp with sweat while Even was still as cold as ever. He wondered if he would ever feel genuinely warm again. He didn't think more about it as they realized where they were. The library. How many hours had he, Ienzo and Eleaus spent in there? It felt like years since he'd been sitting in his favourite chair there, watching the other two play Go over the rim of his book. It was almost a bit sad, considering it had only been two days since then. Seeing the state the library was in now, it was hard to believe anything could ever go back to normal.

"It's a dead end," Auramil hissed, panting just a little as he leaned back against a bookcase. "We've been going in circles, and there's no end to the Heartless."

"Maybe you were wrong," Even replied, rubbing his brow. "Maybe there's nothing here."

"I can't be… I can feel it. There's _something_ here. If you just think about it…"

Auramil made another attempt to catch his breath. Even thought about it in the meantime. Felt something? Perhaps Auramil had lost it. Or perhaps not.

"This _something_, what does it feel like?" he asked slowly.

"Just… I'm not sure. It's sort of a pull. There's something here we need to see. Can't you tell? The deeper we get into the castle, the more Heartless are there."

Yes, that was a point, Even thought. What had happened before their failed experiment? Xehanort had been looking after the Heartless they held captive. It had seemed harmless, but at the same time it had acted much in the same manner as Auramil was acting now. Aimlessly seeking something within the castle. Perhaps it found what it was looking for.

"I am not sure if this is a good idea," he muttered, right as a book dropped out of the shelves where Auramil had leaned his elbow. Even picked it up, looking over the bright yellow cover. It didn't seem to fit into that shelve at all, but Even remembered seeing similar books elsewhere. Something stirred in his memory.

"What is that?" Auramil asked.

"Doesn't matter," Even replied, heading up the stairs to the second floor of the library without another word. There it was. Along the wall of the upper floor was a large bookshelf with a set of yellow books, one missing. Auramil followed after him just in time to watch as he replaced the book, and the bookshelf swung aside to reveal a hole in the wall.

Auramil gaped for a moment.

"You could have said something about that earlier," he pointed out.

"I didn't know," Even said, though he was honestly uncertain about that himself. "I suppose Xehanort had a few more secrets than I had accounted for. Come along."

They left the library, and Auramil was just about to ask who Xehanort was as they, once again, were attacked by Heartless. They arrived at a sort of lift stop. The lifts were large platforms that could easily fit them both. They could move both up, down and sideways, led along by cords of light. Even the lifts were full of Heartless though, and killing off everything they encountered was becoming heavy labour. It was a labyrinth of lifts to choose between. They were activated by strange, glowing crystals, and still there were more crystals that changed the directions of the lifts.

Making their way through the lift stop took time, and when they weren't bothered by Heartless, Even decided to tell Auramil about their research. Still he left out the fact that they had been the reason for Radiant Garden's destruction.

"I can only imagine that as Heartless, we now feel the same… power or whatever it is that the Shadow felt," he finished. Auramil had been silent throughout his explanation.

"You mean to say that this is all a primal instinct?" he asked, scrunching his nose up as he activated another lift. They had been going in circles for quite a while.

"Well, an instinct of _some_ sort. It would explain why we are risking our necks for no reason whatsoever."

"I told you, we need to find some means of transport," Auramil replied. This bit of information seemed to have made him sour. Perhaps he felt instincts were reserved for animals only, and it was below him.

"And where will you go if, pardon me, _when_ you find it?" Even asked, unable to hide a bit of malice.

"_We_ are going to the closest world to look for someone who can point us in the right direction. Perhaps even some of your old colleagues. And if they are not in the first world, we will simply have to go on to the next."

"Something tells me this will be a long journey," Even muttered. He hadn't really planned on refusing Auramil's need for his help. Not that he had been asked to help out specifically, but comprehending it as Auramil needing his help made it easier to continue through the castle alongside him for something he didn't really believe in.

"And probably the most important journey of our lives," Auramil said with a small smirk. They had found their way out of the lift stop, and Auramil's expression made it appear as if it was all his work. Even had a hard time keeping back a groan of dismay as he tailed after him out on a large balcony. At least they were out of the maze and could make some progress. Sadly, it meant more Heartless.

Even was frustrated to see that Auramil had mastered his element faster than him. Auramil ruled over plants, and though it seemed strange to Even in a fighting situation, he managed exceptionally well. He wielded his scythe like a professional, with both grace and technique. Even entertained the thought of Auramil's whole self as an assassin or mercenary of sorts. Even himself was not a fighter. He was a scientist, and even if he hated to admit that Auramil was stronger than him, he helped him out of a situation or two as they stormed through the rest of the castle. At least they fought well at each other's side. Auramil was elegant and offensive, while Even's manner of fighting was, if not without grace, convenient and defensive. They filled each other out well, though Even wasn't sure he had warmed up to Auramil's personality.

One thing that bothered him was how dark everything seemed. Nothing in the castle was like it used to be, and these secret halls were possibly gloomier than anything else. Auramil didn't seem fazed however, and it was hard to be discouraged while walking next to him. They had just entered the lobby of a larger hall as he heard a familiar voice that made him halt. He seized Auramil by his sleeve, holding him back with a soft shush. Nonplussed, Auramil looked back at him until he too heard the voice. It came from the hall, to where the doors weren't properly closed.

"Once we have all seven, the world will be overrun by Heartless."

The voice was faint, but Even could still recognize it. Only Xehanort had such a deep, characteristic voice. The one that replied was unfamiliar to him, though; far more dispassionate and composed, almost a slow drawl.

"And then what happens? More worlds will be destroyed? I don't see how this will be our gain."

"Kingdom Hearts," Xehanort replied. "The ultimate darkness. Everlasting darkness. What else is there for creatures like us? Your world was consumed by the darkness. Who is to say it does not persist within the realm of Kingdom Hearts?"

There was a moment of silence, probably of hesitation.

"Ansem… How can I trust you?"

"That is for you to decide, Isa."

Ansem? Yes, that was right. Xehanort had operated with Ansem's name after they got rid of him. But this was going too far. They had researched Kingdom Hearts, thought of the possibilities, yes. But overrunning all the worlds with Heartless? Even couldn't see any merit in it. They had already lost their hearts; there was no need to chance anything else by following Xehanort. He was just about to nudge Auramil away from it all when he realized Auramil was nowhere near him. The idiot had actually left the lobby and was just stepping out in front of the two.

"Tell me about this Kingdom Hearts."

Even held back a groan and scrambled after the other before he made a greater fool of himself, almost cowering back as he saw what occupied the other end of the room. A giant gate the shape of the Heartless brand. That couldn't be good. The door to Kingdom Hearts? On a platform beneath it, he could see a tanned man with long silver hair. Not Xehanort as Even remembered him. Xehanort's Heartless most likely. The other was a rougher, short figure with wild cerulean hair. At the foot of the platform stood Auramil with a determined expression on his face.

"My world was devoured by darkness," he said, eyes set on Xehanort. "I will do anything I can to return there."

The man named Isa didn't look too pleased at this intrusion. Xehanort however, caught sight of Even.

"Even. I did not expect to see you here."

Auramil and Isa turned to him, and Even froze in place. Ah, he despised how Xehanort always made him feel so self-conscious. As if he had done something wrong. He walked up to Auramil's side after taking a deep breath, not about to cover for his fellow apprentice.

"Auramil and I set out to find our Nobodies. Unless you can help, this is none of your business." He made it clear that he wanted no part in what was going on here, neither with Xehanort or Auramil. The latter didn't look too happy at being reminded of his initial quest. This forced him to choose between the hope of becoming whole and the hope of finding his home.

"I simply wish to know if what I heard was right," he finally said. "If my home is still out there."

Even didn't trust Xehanort any further than he could throw him. "Let's just go," he muttered. "He can't help us."

"But I can," Xehanort replied. He descended down the stairs from the platform so they were at eye-level, with Isa following reluctantly a few steps behind. "Even. Are we not friends? We should be helping each other."

Even really was having a hard time remembering when he and Xehanort had ever been _friends_ in any further extent than partners within their research. As far as he had understood, Xehanort had always preferred Dilan and Braig's company before the other three. And it was also strange to see Xehanort wearing anything but his white lab coat. The black garments with the Heartless brand over its chest just made Even more and more certain that Xehanort had lost it, and in the process of losing his heart had done something horribly wrong, or _would_ later on.

"I don't think so," Even replied. "It seems to me that our time as apprentices is long gone and that, in my eyes, ends our partnership."

"Even. Don't you recall?" Xehanort asked with a slight smile and gestured back towards the gate. "Were we not partners when we stepped through this door together?"

"I have never seen it before," Even said, huffing.

"Then tell me. How did we destroy Radiant Garden?"

Auramil let out a startled noise, and Even forced himself not to look at him.

"I don't… remember."

Sure, he remembered it was their fault they lost their bodies, but how? When he tried to think about it, he really couldn't come up with a reply. Xehanort seemed pleased with his reaction.

"All six of us stepped through this door in seek of knowledge and lost our bodies. It was our harmless little experiment that went out of hand. Do I need to say more?"

Even didn't want him to, able to see where Xehanort was going. He looked away, and Xehanort continued.

"By passing through the door, we set the Heartless loose in this world, and it spread, destroying whole worlds and consuming countless people. And did we not create our own Heartless? Countless of them. All this for nothing. We don't even know what lies on the other side of the door after going through so much trouble. But now I know of the _key_ that will let us pass through safely. Even, what more harm could there be in trying once more? Perhaps it will even reverse everything."

"I doubt it," Even muttered. He had really forgotten all this? The place seemed familiar, but nothing else did. Maybe the darkness had consumed his memories of it. Perhaps Xehanort's own lost memories had been consumed by it too. "You can go through that gate on your own. I am not letting myself be destroyed completely."

He ignored any protests as he grabbed Auramil's arm and hauled the other Heartless out with him.

"Wait, Even, what is going on?" Auramil hissed as they got out in the lobby. Xehanort hadn't said anything as they left, but Even hadn't liked his expression one bit.

"I am not putting my safety in the hands of that man," Even said shortly. They halted at the far end of the lobby. "Everything he said, though it's most likely true, is nothing I am willing to repeat. He is just denying his own mistake. I will not. My one mistake was to listen to him." At the same time, all their power had come to them as they began delving into the darkness. Superhuman powers, such as those of Xehanort. It was so obvious to him now that Xehanort's only goal was most likely to bring darkness into the world and become even stronger. "We will find our bodies, then we will find a way to restore your home."

Auramil nodded, not saying anything else. Was that disappointment? Hate? Possibly both. It was his fault Auramil lost his home and heart. Was he feeling guilty perhaps? What had drawn their attention was obviously the door. Just like the Heartless they had been researching, they were ruled by instincts.

"What do you suppose we do now?" Auramil asked. "We have no means to get off this world."

He said it in a tone suggesting it was Even's fault, and that he'd better come up with a solution. But before he could reply, they heard Isa's voice calling out for them. They turned and saw him standing in front of the now closed doors to the hall.

"I may be able to help you," he said. "Not that I have any reason for it but to get you out of this world and out of Xehanort's way."

He made his business very clear. He was helping Xehanort, not them. It was as if they were a threat or something.

"We don't need _your_ help," Even was about to sneer at him, but didn't even manage half of the sentence as Auramil had already taken Isa up on his offer and was asking him what help he could provide. A few minutes later, the three of them had returned to the entrance hall of the castle.

"You have seen how Heartless appears from nowhere," Isa began. It was the first thing he had said since they left the lobby. Even concluded he was a man of few words. Or a Heartless of few words, anyway. "Ansem taught me how to do it as well, and I can teach it to you. Portals of darkness can take you about anywhere in any world."

Well, as long as the barriers between the worlds were down, Even thought. But he figured that was no longer a problem.

"Darkness erodes the heart. It would be foolish to use them."

"You don't have a heart," Isa replied with a slight smirk. "Come. I will show you."

Even let out a small huff. What an ignorant fool. Whatever Xehanort had told Isa, it was certainly not the whole truth. Did he even know he had a Nobody out there?

Isa stepped out on the floor, and they heard the familiar surging noise as Isa was wrapped up in darkness and vanished. Immediately he reappeared in the gallery above them. Auramil was marvelling, Even was sceptical. Isa reappeared at his initial position and turned back to face them.

"Your turn. You have the power, so learn how to use it properly," he said.

It took quite a few attempts, but more so for Even than Auramil. In half an hour, Auramil had mastered it perfectly, and Isa left them without a word, leaving Auramil to teach it to Even. Once he got the hang of it, he couldn't help feeling sour he hadn't managed it first. He knew all the theory, but perhaps Auramil simply wanted it more.

"What now?" Auramil asked.

"Ansem—the_ wise_ that is, not Xehanort—spent quite some time with this guest that came from a different world. Perhaps there are some notes in his old office that could tell us about the worlds around this place."

They really had no other options to consider, and so they went to search for Ansem's office. Even remembered where it was, but it was still troublesome to get there. The whole castle had been warped into the unrecognisable, with Heartless everywhere. Auramil was silent throughout the whole walk. During one fight, he seemed to purposefully dodge a blow just so it hit Even instead. Still his expression was as stern and composed as ever. Even was frustrated, and didn't know what to say about the behaviour. The scratch along his arm told him Auramil wasn't exactly happy with him. He hadn't been this moody when they practiced the teleporting; Even had thought he understood. They hadn't _intended_ on destroying his home or anyone else's. Perhaps it had just taken some time for it to sink in? His arm was bleeding quite a bit, staining the long, wide sleeves of his coat deep red. It was a very noticeable contrast to the snow-white fabric.

Auramil had given him a concerned glance as he began falling behind, but as soon as he realized Even had noticed, he fixed his expression into one of annoyance.

"Hurry up," he said. "The sooner we get off this world, the sooner we will become whole again."

Even almost expected him to add 'the sooner I can get rid of you' as well. Auramil's tone suggested it was what he meant. Even was too tired to make a snide comeback. The blood had seeped down his arm and was dripping silently from the tips of his fingers. It made fighting even more exhausting, and he was panting just a little.

"Look," he muttered. "We are almost there. Just around the corner, and we should be in Ansem's office."

Auramil arched his brows, then headed off without another word. Even made a face and followed after him. By the time he had caught up with Auramil, the other had already started tearing the office apart for anything that could help them. Even just groaned and sat back in the first chair within reach.

"Finding anything useful?" he asked. Auramil shook his head and went on with emptying all the drawers in Ansem's desk. It wasn't until Even had rolled up his sleeve to look at the damage to his arm that Auramil seemed to acknowledge the wound.

"Are you just going to let yourself bleed to death?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"I didn't plan on it," Even replied bitterly. "There are a lot of things I didn't plan on doing."

"Like destroying whole worlds?" Auramil asked, equally bitter. He found a lab coat that lay hung over a chair behind the desk and ripped off a sleeve before returning to Even. He ripped the fabric into strips and pushed Even's sleeve up further before he examined the wound, _tsking_ lightly.

"You really are a sloppy fighter, for wielding a shield," he said.

"Will you stop that?" Even asked, yanking his arm free from the other's grip with a small wince. "It was obviously your fault. You let that Heartless hit me on purpose."

"You stepped through that door on purpose," Auramil pointed out, glaring intently at him. "Neither of us knew what the consequences would be. Can you blame me?"

"Can you blame _me_?" Even asked, arching a brow. "I was curious and urged on by five others who also partook in the experiment. _You_ were just being unnecessarily spiteful."

Auramil huffed. He seized Even's arm again, balling up a strip of fabric to wipe away as much blood with it as possible.

"We fought our way in here together. I thought you were reliable, but I was disappointed. I was too quick with my conclusion and was resenting it. But killing you won't bring my home back, so I will use you for what you are worth."

Again, Even felt frustrated, but he didn't know what to say. He was _not_ going to let himself become some tool to Auramil. Of that he was certain. Again he winced as Auramil started bandaging up his wounds, a bit too roughly for what Even would have preferred.

"I thought you were kind. Instead you were just manipulative," he replied. "I suppose I am disappointed as well."

Now it was Auramil who didn't reply, rather deciding on returning to the hunt for something useful. It didn't take long before he succeeded. One of the bottom drawers of the desk contained a large map. He spread it out on the desk surface, looking it over. The pictures on it couldn't be anything but worlds, each labelled with a name. Auramil held it up for Even to see.

"There are seventeen of them here."

Well, there could have been even more, Even thought, making a face. But fewer would have been preferable.

"I suppose we don't have any time to waste."

"I believe one of these must bethe world we are in now. That leaves sixteen. Eight for each of us," Auramil said sternly. Even looked up at him, wanting to protest. If he had to do this alone, he could just as well find his own way to become whole.

"Even. I can't be behind you to guard you for the rest of your half-life. Even if I am stronger than you it, doesn't mean you are helpless."

"Will you stop being such an arrogant twat?" Even snapped. He couldn't believe Auramil was talking down to him. It was a tad too much for his patience. "I am _sorry_ your world was destroyed, but frankly it would have happened whether I walked through that door or not. There were five others just as set on finding out on this. And if Ansem hadn't seen what became of us, he would have been foolish enough to do it himself. If you want my help, be grateful for it."

"I don't _need_ your help," Auramil said. Almost before he finished his sentence, a loud rumble ran through the castle. Both of them fell silent and looked up towards the ceiling. Walls and furniture were shaking and loud rumbling noises could be heard, as if something insanely large was stomping about.

"It sounds as if it's coming from the hall with the door," Auramil murmured, both having forgotten what they were talking about. There was no arguing what door he implied.

"Do you think Xehanort managed to open the gate?" Even asked, just as quietly. They waited for another rumble, feeling just a bit tense.

"I don't know," Auramil said after a while. "I am going to see for myself."

He stuffed the map into his coat, and vanished in a dark portal before the other could reply. Even grimaced and leaned back in his chair. Wonderful. Being left alone when something huge and most likely dangerous was roaming about close by. He shifted his bandages a little, and rolled his sleeve down just as he heard another loud rumble.

A few minutes passed, and he kept waiting. Auramil didn't return. The noises were louder and more frequent. He heard the sound of something that could have been thunder or magic of some kind. It rang through the entire castle.

Another long moment snailed past. Even was tired of waiting.

He stood and adjusted his bandages again to be sure he was fit before he, too, opened a dark portal. He didn't rely too much on his ability to teleport, but this was not a moment of hesitation. Beyond all expectations, he reappeared in the hall with the door, only to recoil as he saw what was occupying it. It was a Heartless, and the rumbling stomps were from its footsteps. It was positively enormous, barely able to turn around within the confines of the hall. It had four massive legs to carry its thick body. The head was round and ugly with one large horn. That was where Even had heard the thundering noise; the horn released a multicoloured beam of energy that had wrecked larger parts of the room already.

Auramil was slipping in and out between its feet, scythe in hand as he desperately tried to wound the beast and not get trampled on in the process. Some of his grace from earlier was lacking, as he had taken a wound to his leg. Probably from the beam—the creature was too slow to hurt him otherwise—and his clothes looked singed. As the hem of his coat got caught under one of the monster's cloven front feet, Even didn't really stop to think. It was already charging up the beam. Auramil's scythe had done no damage whatsoever on its thick skin. Seeing a possibility as the creature crouched down Even summoned his shield and climbed onto one of its hind legs, somehow managing to get onto its back. The creature let out an angry roar, trying to throw him off but failing, thank heavens.

Within seconds, Even got on top of its head and drove his shield into one of its eyes. It howled out in pain, finally managing to throw Even off.

With a loud cry, Even was flung through the air only to hit the wall. His shield dissolved into darkness again, and everything went black before he even hit the floor.

At least the motion freed Auramil, and as the giant beast crouched down, writhing in pain, he swung his scythe around with all his might and smashed its horn. There was a blinding light, and it dissolved before Auramil's eyes.

-

When Even woke up he found himself back in town in the house where they had spent the night. He was wrapped up in a heap of blankets and was positively aching all over. He probably had bruises in places he didn't even want to hear of and would be lucky not to have a concussion. It took a while before he realized that the person who had carried him there was Auramil. They hadn't seen Xehanort or Isa at all. He tried moving, and hissed softly as it only made him aware of a horrible headache. Then, a pair of merciless hands grabbed him and pulled him up in a sitting position. However careful they were trying to be, it just felt horrible.

"I found some potion lying around in the ruins," he heard Auramil's voice murmur next to his ear. "Don't choke."

Even's lips were pried apart by the head of a bottle and a cool, sour liquid was poured down his throat. He spluttered, even though he tried not to. But most of it was swallowed and he wiped the rest away from his chin with the back of his hand. After a cough or two he relaxed, feeling the healing process starting. First his headache vanished, and then the soreness in his body began lifting.

"How is that?" Auramil asked.

"Better," Even coughed softly.

"You need to be fit before we leave. I picked out a world where we can start off."

Even had to smirk a little at that, but he still hadn't opened his eyes. "Finally realized you need me?"

"No," Auramil replied shortly. "I don't need your help. I _want_ your help," he said in a nonchalant tone. Yet a light smile was gracing his lips.


End file.
